Undeniable Victory: A Megagame of War in the Persian Gulf

How do you serve a dictator?

Undeniable Victory is a serious megagame built around the political, strategic, and tactical challenges of the Iran-Iraq war, 1980-1988. Still the highest-rated megagame of the decade in the UK, OMG is partnering with LLST to bring to Ottawa Ben Moores, the designer of Undeniable Victory, co-host of the Last Turn Madness podcast, and one of the original Megagame Makers of the United Kingdom.

Participants will take on roles in the military and political hierarchies of Iran or Iraq during one of the most dramatic and little-known conflicts of the 20th century.

FAQ:
Q: What's a Megagame?
A: Megagames are unique experiential games for 30 to 300 players, built to model the political, military, economic and social aspects of a crisis. They are fun and engaging while offering insights into the challenges that figures face when the world turns upside-down. Megagames are driven by narrative rather than victory points, and often built as lifelike simulations of the real world. Megagames are written to make the players feel, think, experience, and learn.

Q: What is Undeniable Victory?
Undeniable Victory is a game for 70 players which replicates the political, strategic, and tactical challenges of the Iran-Iraq war, 1980-1988.

In 1980, Saddam's Hussein's Ba'athist Iraq invaded Ayatollah Khomeini's revolutionary Iran. Saddam hoped to take advantage of an Iran weakened by revolution, with the goal of cementing Iraq's ascendancy in the region. The result instead was a vicious stalemate between two largely inexperienced armies, indelibly marked on both sides by the egos of the two dictators, Saddam and Khomeini. How will you respond to their demands?

Players can take roles in the ruling councils of either state, in their respective militaries, or the international arena hoping to influence the course of the war to their own advantage.

Note that dictatorial roles will not be filled by players.

Q: But I’ve never done this before!
A: Don't worry, Megagames are designed to be learned as they are played, and there are no "wrong moves". We will send you an information package 1-2 weeks before the event date for you to review game mechanics, your role, and background.

Megagames are designed to be learned on the fly, just like real life. They are about experiencing an event or storyline, rather than mapping out a path to victory. In a Megagame, it is much better to fail so spectacularly that we can share a good laugh at the pub afterwards, rather than attempt to beat everybody in a race to the finish.

Above all, experienced players and the control team (aka, the game facilitators) are present, supportive, and concerned that everybody has an enjoyable day. We won’t let you do anything too strange--unless you really want to.

Q: Do I need to buy tickets in a team?
A: You certainly can find a team of friends or colleagues to join with before you buy tickets. However, there is no requirement to do so and we sell many individual tickets. If you have any concerns, send us a message at UndeniableVictory@llst.ca or OttawaMegaGames@gmail.com and we will make sure you’re connected with new or old friends.

Q: What happens if I buy a ticket and can't attend?
A: Unfortunately, we can not offer refunds for this event. Please let us know if you cannot attend or if you find someone to go in your stead to ensure that all roles are included.

Q: What will I do for food and hydration?
A: We will have a "working lunch". Players may choose to purchase a box lunch with admission, or bring their own meal. If you purchase a meal, please let us know about any dietary restrictions in the provided form at the time of purchase.

Note that there will not be time for players to leave the venue to purchase food at lunch time.

We recommend drinking plenty of water. Please bring a reusable bottle. There are sinks for filling water bottles in the venue.

Q: How shall I dress?
A: As you like! Sometimes players do come dressed to their role, such as a diplomat's suit and tie or an appropriate approximation of military garb. However, as always but especially so in Undeniable Victory, we ask that you be culturally conscious when dressing from a different nation; your roles embody historical figures, not caricatures. Please be considerate.

Q: What should I bring?
A: Bring a copy of the briefing and the rules for each section, a water bottle and small snack. Most importantly, bring an open mind and a thirst for adventure!

Q: How accessible is this game?
A: Undeniable Victory will be held at the Laurentian Learning Centre in Centretown. The venue is a heritage building and as such has staircases. However, there are motorized stair lifts between the entrance and main floor, as well as the to the basement. Washrooms are found in the basement and are accessible via the same motorized stairlifts.

Q: Will there be any photos and/or video taken during the event?
A: Please note that there will be periodic photos and video taken at this event. When purchasing a ticket for the event, you will be asked for consent to potentially being photographed and videotaped and possibly having a photograph or video of you used and shared by Ottawa MegaGames or LLST. If you prefer to opt out, please indicate as such and we will be careful not to share your image.

Q: How should I treat other players?
A: We are so proud to bring you this event, and we want to make sure every player gets an engaging and fulfilling experience. This requires the cooperation of all players to make this fun for everyone. If you are found to be disrupting the event by harassing other players, including racist, sexist or otherwise bigoted remarks, you will be reprimanded as the game control sees fit, up to and including expulsion from the game without refund. The venue also reserves the right to remove individuals who are not respectful of the environment.

Q: Where can I contact the organizer with any questions?
A: Contact Matt at LLST at UndeniableVictory@llst.ca, or the Ottawa Megagames team at OttawaMegaGames@gmail.com, on the Ottawa MegaGames FB page, or the Undeniable Victory FB event page.